Healing of the Heart
by Pam t3h Spam
Summary: InuyashaSango. Naraku's evil manipulations failed to secure him the Shikon no Tama, but he has succeeded in splitting the group four separate ways. One year later, still haunted by bitter memories of the past, two of them meet again...
1. Prologue

# Healing of the Heart

By Sango-chan

Prologue

The four young people sat in a raggedy circle, each one carefully avoiding the other's eyes.All four sets of eyes – amber-gold, violet, brown, and gray – stared fixedly at the ground.Biting her lip to hold back the flow of tears, a teenage girl dressed in a sailor fuku carefully divided the small pile of tiny glasslike shards that lay on her palm.As the girl silently handed two slivers to each of her former friends, the suffocating hush was broken by the dry, muffled sobs of a bushy-tailed child who sat behind the broken group, perched on a bike.For a second, all the people looked in the kitsune's direction, two shards clenched in their hands, frozen by their individual painful memories, and then the spell was broken as a white-haired young man in a red kimono stood up and left without once looking back.One girl watched him go as the tears she had fought to keep away broke loose, streaming down her cheeks from gray eyes.Slowly, the other girl left, taking with her a small cat and a huge boomerang.As she disappeared into the foggy morning mist, the teenager dressed in monk's robes stood and walked off in the opposite direction.

For a few seconds the last girl sat watching the empty landscape around her.Then she turned towards her bike with the young youkai in it and wheeled it slowly towards an old vine-strangled well in the middle of the forest.The girl pushed her bicycle down the dry well shaft first, then held the child and stood on the edge, preparing to jump.She hesitated, looking around the woods quickly, scanning for any movement, questioning, hoping, wishing that someone would come back to stop her.

No one came.

She jumped.

A/N:K, so you may have noticed, if you've read this before, that all I did was change the format a bit and make a few corrections, separate the prologue, and make a lot of minor adjustments.Hopefully, though, you'll see an improvement.If not…^^;


	2. Memories From the Mists

# Healing of the Heart

By Sango-chan

Chapter One

Memories From the Mists

Sango jumped back quickly as her oversized weapon sliced through the snake demon's elongated body, avoiding the blood and flesh that spurted down from the cut.A quick glance at its still-moving head told her that the fight wasn't over yet.Circling the youkai from her perch on Kirara's back, Sango spotted a small something embedded in the snake's forehead.It might have been no more than a sliver of splintered wood, but the demon exterminator knew better.Throwing her boomerang again, the girl sliced through the creature's forehead perfectly, cutting out the Shikon shard.A last keening wail rose from the snake demon as its power was taken away with the shard, and its body stopped moving and thumped heavily down to the grass.

Peeling off her gas mask, Sango picked up the small shard and added it to the growing pile tied up in a sturdy silk ribbon.Over the past year, she'd tracked down and killed demons until her Shikon shards numbered six.Four were from those that she had exterminated, and two were from…

Sango shook her head to clear those thoughts away.She didn't want to think about where those first two had come from.

"Lady exterminator, may I offer you the hospitality of my humble home?" the local headman queried, breaking into her thoughts politely."It is the least we can do to thank you for ridding our village of that demon."

Sango nodded, smiled, and thanked him, then followed the man to a fairly large wooden house.After she had been shown to her room, Sango declined dinner and prepared her bed, yawning as she changed from her exterminator outfit.It had been a hard day of traveling, and she was tired.As the young woman dropped off to sleep, someone who had been watching from the woods moved onto a tree.

*****

_"Help!Someone!Help!"Sango wandered through the forest near Kaede's village, searching for the source of the cries.But the magical fog that Naraku had laid over the area prevented her from seeing a single thing.Relying on her hearing alone, the girl headed in the direction of the voice, her boomerang bone ready and balanced carefully on her shoulder.Kirara, in her transformed state, walked by the demon exterminator's side, her black furred ears swiveling in all directions._

_All of a sudden the fog lifted and Sango could see a figure ahead, crumpled on the ground with its black and purple robes splayed in the dirt."Miroku!" the girl cried out, running towards her friend.As she neared the monk, hoping beyond hope that he was still alive, something reached out from behind a tree.Sango was going too fast to stop herself, and a fiery pain across her left leg made her stumble and fall.The young woman pressed a hand to the slashed wound above her knee as she looked up to see a person wrapped in white monkey furs standing over her.Naraku's cold, mirthless laugh echoed hollowly as he took Sango's boomerang and threw it into the foliage behind him.Helpless, the teenager stared at her enemy._

_"How sweet of you, to try to save Miroku," the evil demon spoke."However, all of your efforts were in vain…"_

_Sango's heart pounded in her ribcage, and suddenly it was hard to breathe.No…no…he couldn't mean that…_

_Naraku chuckled again."No, the monk isn't dead, as you will see."A smirk spread over the youkai's lips and he slowly said, "Get up, Miroku."_

_At the demon's command, Miroku got up and Sango gasped.The monk's body was unmarked, and he lifted himself up without even a shadow of pain. Her eyes followed him as he walked up to stand by Naraku, the pain and disbelief washing through her senses as she viewed his betrayal stinging much more than the wound on her leg.Sango fought desperately to believe that it wasn't like it looked, that Miroku would never…but icy-cold reality flooded those thoughts, and through her dark mist of pain, Sango could hear her own voice, as if from far away, saying something."Miroku…"_

_Hazy and distant, the voice of her friend—more than friend—traveled to Sango's ears."I'm sorry, Sango…but he said he would heal my hand…I'm sorry.I'm sorry…"_

_Naraku's cold laugh pierced her like a sword, bringing the pain back tenfold.Sango slumped to the ground as Miroku's violet eyes, pleading for her to forgive his acts, faded from her vision…_

KAR-RUNCH!CRACK!

The crack of splintering wood jerked Sango awake as she was brought back from her dreams of the day the group had split.The pain of Miroku's betrayal washed over her again, as it always did when she relived that moment in her dreams.But this was no time to think about that!Grabbing her boomerang, Sango peered out through the hole in the side of her room.Looking at the pre-dawn landscape, the demon exterminator didn't see anything for a while.Then, a flash of motion at her side!Jerking her head around, Sango desperately tried to move away but she was too slow as a huge snake demon, much larger than the one she had killed, smashed her to one side with its sinuous scaled body.Crushed under the smooth coils, Sango reached for her boomerang bone, but it lay just beyond the reach of her fingertips.A mew to her left was Kirara, also trapped in the snake demon's suffocating grip, too cramped to change into her more powerful form.Still struggling, Sango watched as the demon's head swung around to look at her.Hissing, it opened its cavernous mouth and spoke with a strange hissing accent, twisting and elongating the words.

"Youuuuu…kiiiilled my ssssssssssisssssssteeeer…IIII wiiiill devooouuuur youu aliiiiiiiivvve…"

Sharp white fangs, standing out vividly against the backdrop of purplish-red tongue, filled Sango's vision as the snake demon opened its mouth even wider.Throwing her arms out, Sango tried once again to reach her weapon, but it was useless.She struggled and kicked valiantly, but inside she knew she had no hope.This was it…

"SOUL-SHATTERING CLAWS!"

Red cloth flapped before Sango's startled gaze as the huge snake's body fell to slashing claws.A figure draped in the same crimson fabric picked up the two small shards and examined them carefully.In a strangely familiar voice, the person scoffed as he placed the slivers into his pockets."Feh.For a demon with two shards of the jewel, it wasn't much."

As her rescuer turned to leave, Sango finally recovered her voice."I-Inuyasha?" she asked in a shocked croak as she climbed to her feet.

Inuyasha hesitated, then half-turned without meeting the demon exterminator's eyes.In a hardened, self-mocking tone he said, "What's the matter?Surprised that I'm still alive?As you can see, I didn't need that fool girl after all…" Taken aback by the bitterness in the half-demon's voice, Sango forgot the unhappy memories that his presence stirred up, and walked up to him slowly.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" she asked, trying to look him in the eyes.Visibly flinching, he lowered his head so that he wouldn't have to meet Sango's gaze."Nothing". But his voice was barely a whisper.

"I said nothing!Can't you just leave me alone?!" Inuyasha said, angry now."Get out of my life! I don't need anymore so-called 'friends'!!"So saying, the hanyou turned and walked off into the forest.

Sango stood there a moment longer, stunned and a little hurt.She and Inuyasha had never been the best of friends, but there had been no hard feelings between them back then.Back then…that was then, and this was now.Inuyasha's words held a ring of truth about him, and who was she to ignore that, she who knew perhaps best of all by experience how truly spoken they were…?But still, someplace in the demon exterminator urged her to help him, and yet another lonely place in her heart called out for company, a relief from the silent nights when the emptiness around her was suffocatingly close.

Picking her boomerang off the ground, Sango stood up and walked in the direction that Inuyasha had gone.She needed a human companion to talk to, and she also wanted answers, answers that could only be answered by he and one other person.Sango walked faster at that thought.No, answers that could only be answered by him.

A/N: *Holds up "SANGO AND INUYASHA FOREVER" sign and waves it around wildly*


	3. Broken Hearts, Broken Souls

_Healing of the Heart_

By Sango-chan

Chapter 2

Broken Hearts, Broken Souls

Inuyasha walked through the misty forest, as of yet untouched by sunshine.Only the patter of dew from the trees accompanied him as he moved onward._'Maybe it would be faster if I flew…'_ he wondered, and then gave a noncommittal shrug.What was the point?He'd still get there eventually, and more than anything he needed to drag this quest along as much as he possibly could.It had a way of…taking his mind off things.

_Sshhk._

Most people would ignore the slight, almost inaudible sound, but Inuyasha was far more than 'most people'.Now he strained his ears even more, and he could make out the unmistakable sound of footsteps.This demon, whatever it was, was skilled.But for that one noise he would never have noticed its quiet approach.

Rising and falling, the flow of words was almost indistinguishable.Inuyasha couldn't hear anything, but that voice…it certainly didn't sound like a demon.It held none of the coldness and malice that subtly underlined the voice of a demon, and this one was almost familiar…he'd heard it somewhere.With a sudden jolt he knew it was Sango.

Hiding himself behind trees, Inuyasha silently cursed the demon exterminator for following him.Stupid humans, always so sentimental and stubborn.He now fervently wished that he had left her trapped under that snake demon.He wanted to be alone, not with yet another ridiculous mortal.

Pressing himself against the tree's rough bark, Inuyasha realized just how conspicuous he was with his bright red kimono._'Baka!'_ he mentally hissed at himself, '_of course she'll notice!'_He was right, for the second Sango came into view she stared right at the spot where Inuyasha stood.

"Don't you get the message?!Leave me alone, Sango!"

Sango took a deep breath and steadied her voice.She wasn't going to turn back now.Forcing herself to remain calm, she spoke quietly."I came…for answers."

Inuyasha froze._'Answers?What answers?She's a fool, to bring that up again.No wonder humans are always getting themselves killed, always trying to open up old wounds to find their answers'_ he thought wildly, his mind racing in all directions even as his feet remained rooted to the ground.

"I'd like to know what happened…on that day," Sango continued, and noted the splatter of a teardrop on the fallen leaves.To her surprise, she found that they were the same ones that ran down her cheeks.Bowing her head and letting her bangs cover her eyes, the demon exterminator hoped Inuyasha wouldn't notice.She needed to remain strong for this, she couldn't cry.

_'Kagome used to cry like this…she always cried for me…said she cared for me…but…'_ Inuyasha remembered suddenly, looking at the tears that he knew the girl in front of him tried to hide, just as he had tried to hide himself._'Cared for me?What a joke!She betrayed me…and why, then, should I trust her tears?All false illusions…'_

_ _

"I told you already, leave me alone!" Inuyasha threw back, trying to sound forceful, but even to his ears his statement sounded like the whining cry of a spoiled child.

This time, Sango was ready for the rejection.Looking right into his eyes, she said, "No.I need to know."The determined ring of her words surprised even her.

"Feh." Inuyasha replied with a half-hearted mutter, and turned, ready to leap into the sky.Running forward, Sango grasped the edge of his kimono and repeated, "I need to know!"Not replying, the dog demon shot her a venomous glance and jumped, his speed tearing her fingers away from the cloth.Not bothering to think about it, Sango cried out, "Kirara!" and her loyal cat transformed, shooting under her to take her on her back.Chasing after Inuyasha in the sky, Kirara slowly edged up on him until they were neck to neck."You…won't…run away…from me!" Sango shot out at him through gritted teeth, the wind whisking her words away the second they left her mouth.Reaching out in Inuyasha's direction, she grasped a handful of the silvery-white hair and hung on tight.

It was a ridiculous predicament.Inuyasha struggled to free his hair from the demon exterminator's viselike grip, which made Sango hold on even tighter.Their struggles slowed both down the hanyô and firecat's flight, and all three began to descend slowly until they were only yards above a small lake.Cursing and snarling at his captor, the yôkai's feral golden eyes locked on her face and he growled."I'll tear you apart if you don't let go, bitch!"

He looked like he meant business, and with a quick word to Kirara, Sango let go of his hair.Not prepared for such a maneuver, Inuyasha fell the last few feet, giving a strangled yelp before he plunged underwater.Watching the surface of the lake intently, the demon exterminator watched the bubbles rise and Inuyasha's head popped out of the water.Despite the gravity of their situation, Sango couldn't stifle a giggle at the sight of the hissing, cursing, sopping-wet half demon._'He looks exactly like a drenched puppy!'_ she thought with a snort of amusement—which Inuyasha heard very distinctly, causing him to bristle even more.

Still chuckling, Sango nudged Kirara down to the lake and picked the angry Inuyasha up by his collar, chiding him as they flew off."Now, you don't want another dipping, do you?" she asked him.Burning with embarrassment, the hanyô maintained a sullen silence.Noticing that the sun was now completely up, the demon exterminator yawned, remembering her lost hours of sleep.First plopping Inuyasha down, she slid off of Kirara's back."I need to get some rest," she murmured, and sank down against Kirara's warm flank.

*****

Inuyasha watched from the corner of his eye as Sango's chest rose and fell slowly, evenly, and her breath relaxed.He could tell that she was completely asleep.Now was the chance to escape from her and her ridiculous questions about the past.But…like all demons, Inuyasha could see the faint glimmer that announced the Shikon no Tama's shards, hardly noticeable but for his position so close to where they lay.Checking again to make sure that the huntress was truly sound asleep, he reached for the small ribbon that attached them to her sash.Inuyasha furtively grasped the edge of the cloth – just as Kirara's strong jaws clamped down around his fingers.

Staring into the other demon's eyes, the firecat growled a little.Kirara clamped down slightly harder, still not drawing blood, but to prove that she could hurt him if she wanted to.

"Damn…" he cursed quietly, and withdrew his hand.Kirara settled down more, but she was ever alert, watching him as she guarded her master.

It wasn't the lesser youkai whom Inuyasha feared, for he could easily defeat her.Only that her alarms would have woken the girl, too.The hanyô wasn't prepared to face yet another tiring and possibly humiliating struggle, and so he leaned back against a tree to wait for her arousal.Anyone watching might have thought that he, too, slept, but the golden eyes slit open ever so slightly, resting upon the silken ribbon of his desire.

Inuyasha was still awake.Waiting for his chance.

*****

When Sango finally opened her eyes, she closed them again quickly against the glare of the midday sun.She hadn't realized that she'd overslept so long, and the demon exterminator gave a small inward groan._'The next village is too far away to reach by nightfall…looks like no bed tonight.'_Resigning herself to another outdoor bed, Sango rose, rubbing a cramp in her leg that had come from her awkward position.As she moved toward the lake, Inuyasha's eyes snapped open immediately and glared directly at her.Startled by his piercing glance, she flinched a little, guiltily remembering how this had happened the night she was contemplating stealing Tetsusaiga.Sango was astonished that he hadn't left already, but decided not to voice her surprise.Instead, she tried to act as normal as possible—or as least as normal as you can be with a half-demon's eyes following your every move.Inuyasha's steady, unchanging gaze made her feel like…like a hunted animal.

Clearing her throat to try to dispense some of the tension in the air, Sango outlined her plans for that day, leaving the unspoken question of Inuyasha's decision hanging.The hanyô rose abruptly and nodded curtly in her direction."I'll be coming with you."

As they traveled, Sango on Kirara's back and Inuyasha flying a few feet away, the exterminator glanced in his direction a few times, not sure of what nagged at the corner of her mind. Inuyasha hadn't changed that much…same red kimono, white hair, amber-gold eyes, Tetsusaiga at his waist…but Sango couldn't get rid of the uneasy feeling that she was with a completely different person than she had known._'Wait…the Tetsusaiga…' _Frowning, she stared at the familiar sword that hung by Inuyasha's side.It looked neglected and unused, the cloth wrappings in ragged tatters and the normally obsidian-black sheath covered in a fine layer of dust that turned it smoky gray.

'_Looks like Inuyasha hasn't been using his father's sword for a long time…but if he's been hunting Shikon-empowered demons as I have, then how come he hasn't used the steel fang?Or maybe…_' With a jolt, Sango remembered that the magical properties of the sword stated that it could be used only to protect humans.Otherwise, the fang stayed in its untransformed state, a rusty, derelict blade.For the first time, the girl realized fully how bad Inuyasha's relationship with mortals had grown.Maybe that feeling of his change wasn't a product of her imagination after all, Sango pondered, remembering the bitter emotion in the yôkai's voice the first time she had seen him and the comment about Kagome.

Inuyasha turned and gave her a strange look, reminding Sango how long she had been staring at his sword.Blushing, she glanced away quickly, hoping fervently that dog demons weren't mind readers.

# Later that night…

_ _

They arranged themselves around the campfire, Sango lying down to sleep and Inuyasha remaining sitting.Despite the silence that endured between the two, Sango couldn't help feeling happy to be with a companion once again.Kirara was wonderful, but she wasn't enough.The teenager needed another human—or at least half human.

Closing her eyes, she could hear the quiet, steady rhythm of the hanyô's breath.It seemed to hold a friendly note to it, one that rang of the warmth of having someone close by, and, halfway to the world of slumber, she smiled.

Inuyasha weighed his options.He could go and gather more shards himself, then come and take the demon exterminator's, or he could steal hers now.But Sango was already skilled, and if he allowed her to gain even more experience by fighting demons for Shikon shards…well, there was the chance he might not win.Tetsusaiga was now useless to him.He decided to stay and wait for a chance.

Turning his thoughts to the possibility of a complete Shikon no Tama, Inuyasha daydreamed about what he would do._'I wonder how it'll feel to be full demon.With all that power I can finally make Sesshômaru pay, make all those idiots who taunted me pay…power is what it's all about.But…' _Inuyasha finally let himself face a reason for becoming full demon that he had been trying to deny to himself._'…what I really want to do…' _a small voice whispered in his mind, _'…is forget.If I become a true demon, I can harden my heart so that it will never be led astray by another woman again…'_

_ _

A memory mocked his thoughts.Miroku, sitting across from him, his expression serious."…That in exchange for gaining the power of the jewel, the bearer loses his soul…"Memories, fragments of illusion, hopes, thoughts, melted into dreams as the yôkai slipped into sleep.Kikyo appeared before him, and her features changed subtly, forming Kagome's familiar, happy face.Her mouth formed into a smile, but the words she spoke were grim.

_Inuyasha, will your soul still belong to you…?_

_ _

_ _

_ _

A/N: Despite the fact that I update so slowly, Healing of the Heart is actually my favorite fanfic.I'm an avid Sango/Inuyasha shipper…XDOf course, Kikyo/Inuyasha is also wonderful and Kagome/Inu fuzz is always welcome, though I rather think Kikyo deserves Inuyasha more (read Second Chance for more of my "Kikyo and Inuyasha!" rant)…Enough about that!Well, I have an idea forming for the next chapter, so...just a little more patience now!


	4. Old Friends and Enemies

Notes:Oh, my.  O.o  o.O  O.O  I ACTUALLY GOT ANOTHER CHAPTER OUT!  *Dies of shock*

_Healing of the Heart_

By Sango-chan

Chapter 3

Old Friends…and Enemies

Inuyasha glanced over at his companion impatiently.  He was beginning to regret his decision of traveling with Sango…two whole weeks, and never had he seen an opportunity to claim her Shikon shards.  To add a finishing touch to his frustration, they hadn't even come along one single demon in possession of a shard, either.  The hanyô was getting bored, annoyed, and edgy—not a good combination in someone with an already extremely short tolerance span.

"Can't you hurry up?!" Inuyasha yelled over his shoulder at Sango, perched upon Kirara's back as always.

Gritting her teeth, the demon exterminator counted slowly to ten before answering.  "I'm not about to exhaust Kirara in order to keep up with you."

"Feh," he snorted.  "Pathetic."

She glared at him, shooting back, "Excuse me if I don't want to be stuck for the rest of the day waiting for you to get your wind back after a ridiculous one-hour sprint."

"Well, who asked you to wait?"

"Fine!  Then I'll go by myself."

"Have it your way."

With those words, Inuyasha was gone, a tiny speck in the distance.  Left alone, Sango sighed and slumped against Kirara's neck.  Feeling the extra weight, the demon cat craned her head around to look at her owner questioningly.  Sango patted Kirara on the neck.  "It's not you, Kirara…it's _him_."  She heaved another gusty sigh and stared off morosely in the direction the yôkai had headed in.  More and more she was beginning to question her wisdom in asking the half demon to travel with her.

_'All I wanted was someone to talk to, but what do I get?  A gloomy, depressing, moody, private, unfriendly, irritable demon…not to mention a very _**quiet** _one.'  _Inuyasha rarely opened his mouth, grunted monosyllabic answers to only the most necessary questions, killed any attempts Sango made at conversation, and snapped at her if she tried to interrupt his brooding.

"What did I do to deserve a role as nursemaid to a moping dog demon?" Sango spoke aloud to the empty land around her.  There was no answer.  She sighed—this was becoming a habit these days—and continued onward.

*****

True to her earlier prediction, Sango found Inuyasha crouched in a tree after a few hours of traveling, the dog demon panting heavily.  She said nothing, but shot him an "I told you so" look.  He glared.

_'That smug expression on her face is beginning to bug me…'_

"I hate you," Inuyasha muttered under his breath, knowing that his statement sounded like the useless whine of a spoiled child.

Sango glanced over, her expression unreadable.  She tossed him a blanket.  "Get to sleep, puppy."

*****

An hour later, Inuyasha was still awake and fuming.

_Puppy?  **Puppy?!**  Who does that wench think she is?  I'm not a cub to be talked down to._

He shifted position slightly, moving Tetsusaiga over to his right shoulder.  Feeling the brush of fabric against his foot, the hanyô looked down to see the blanket that the demon exterminator had given him.  Kicking it aside disdainfully, Inuyasha looked upon the blanket as yet another proof of Sango's unworth.

_'How weak does she think I am?  I'm not—' _he glanced over at the girl who was huddled near the fire, curled up in a second blanket '—_like that human.'  _Sneering, the half-demon privately added, '_After all the time I spent traveling with those mortals a year ago, and she still can't remember that I've never needed that protection from the elements.'_

Or had she?

The demon exterminator wasn't one to forget things that easily.  So why had she given him the blanket?  Tonight was cold by human standards—she could have used that second blanket.  

_'Why, then?'_

More confused than ever, Inuyasha grumbled once more about the fickleness of humans and went to sleep.

*****

Something cold and wet nudged her face.  

Rolling over, Sango tried to push the thing away, but it was persistent, continuing its attack.  She could feel it hovering just above her right eye, damp and icy, not allowing her to sleep again.  She could feel the menace emanating from it, an almost tangible thing: _Move or I will be forced to do it…_

Sighing, the demon exterminator cracked one eye open and glared at Kirara's inquisitive face.  "All right, I'm getting up.  You _don't_ have to sit on me, I get it…"  The cat demon sat back on its haunches and watched her master yawn and stretch until it was sure that the girl was awake enough.  Kirara then swung her head around in the opposite direction, prepared to use force to wake the hanyô if needed.

With eyes still closed, Inuyasha spoke up.  "Do you do this every morning?"

_'What the…'_  Startled, Sango took a while before answering, "Well…only when Kirara feels like I'm sleeping in too late."

"Hmph."  The dog demon favored Kirara with an impassive glance.

It was all Sango could do to keep her mouth from hanging open.  Inuyasha…actually starting a conversation?!  For the first few days, she had constantly tried to break the ice between them, asking friendly questions that were repulsed by the yôkai's stoic stares or uneasy silences.  Why then, was he suddenly talking?

Inuyasha watched the girl from the corner of his eye, wondering whether he should ask her about last night's behavior.  _No, _he decided, _better not to let her think I'm actually interested.  _Scrutinizing the demon exterminator closely, Inuyasha pounced on her the second he saw her finish her morning meal. "Let's go!"

"Why so eager to leave today?  Maybe I'm not done eating yet…" Sango reached for another cup of tea.

"…"

Grinning, she set the beaker down and hefted Hiraikotsu over Kirara's back.  "Impatient, aren't you?  …I was joking…just joking…" she added after seeing the expression on his face.

"I knew that, now let's go already."

"Sure," the demon exterminator replied, not minding Inuyasha's abrupt attitude for once.  Just the fact that he was willing to offer a few words without her prompting was enough to lighten the whole mood of the day.  '_He's finally beginning to loosen up…!'  _Still smiling, Sango half-turned and nodded toward Kirara's back.  "Need a ride?"

Inuyasha stared in scornful disbelief.  "What do you think I am, weak?"

Sango let out a tiny sigh and gently dug a knee into Kirara's side, and the fire cat immediately took off.  '_Ok, so maybe not quite yet…'_

*****

Orange eyes glinted with malicious humor as they stared up at the figures flying above.  The fiery-haired yôkai looked down at the small, translucent white disk in his hands and tapped it with one forefinger.  Immediately the surface of the disk became pure milky-white.  Speaking a few words, the demon rubbed the bony spikes of the glove on his left hand impatiently as he waited for the image to clear.  Blurry shapes formed on the disk, the lines becoming clearer until he could see the distinct baboon-cloaked figure in the stone.

"Naraku.  I've found them."

"Good, good…now, what should I do with them?"  

The yôkai waited, sensing that the other was merely ruminating.  A small smile formed on the mouth depicted in the seeing stone as Naraku chuckled quietly to himself.  "Yes…that's it.  Show yourself to them, then lure them into the cave."

"Understood…however…"

"You'll get your payment afterwards.  Two Shikon shards, as agreed…that is, if you succeed."

Smirking, the demon replied, "I'm quite sure there is no question of that.  I will not fail."

"Make sure that you don't."  With those last parting words, Naraku's image faded and then disappeared from the surface, which once again became white.  The yôkai stared at the blank stone for a second longer, then put it down carefully and picked up the staff lying nearby.  He lovingly fondled the smooth wood, tracing its flaring curve upward into a sharp, sickle-shaped blade.  Carefully, the demon pressed a fingertip down on the tip of the blade, watching as a drop of blood appeared.  He licked it and grinned ferally.  Time to do his job.

A/N:  Dun dun DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN…who is this strange yôkai?  Anyone know?  Well, I'll tell you!  *Looks around suspiciously*  I STOLE HIM!  *Grins*  Don't tell anyone!   ^^  But I did steal him…it's Viaresu, from Dragon Knights by Mineko Ohkami!  She's a really great manga artist…GO READ IT!  Since I don't think a lot of ppl know it (there's only about five DK fanfics here), I just stole my hot lil' Bierrez-kun!  *Glomps Viaresu*  I LUV HIM SO MUCH!  And I stole him for my fanfic…to escape my author's block…I mean, he died in Vol. 4 (*sniffle*  WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!) so I just "borrowed" him.  ^^  *Squeezes tightly*

Viaresu: *Gasps for air*  Dy…ing!

Whoops!  I don't want to kill you again!  *Sniffle*  ;_;  *Lets go*  Now…lesse…piccie of Viaresu!  He's the green-eyed orange-haired (duh) bishounen on the left!   ;


	5. For the Love of a Shard

Notes:  Are you wondering just why this chapter came out so much faster than normal?  Three guesses!  *Winkwink*  Nope…not the sugar (even if I did eat a lot of it)…not even the reviews…I owe it to my LOVELY, WONDERFUL muse—Viaaaaaaaresu!  ^^  

_Healing of the Heart_

By Sango-chan

Chapter 4

For the Love of a Shard

Frowning, Sango peered down from her high perch on Kirara's back.  Something down there…something very strange…had caught her attention, and it wasn't something good.  She didn't know what, couldn't explain her behavior…but something hidden in the thickly forested hills pulled her.  She shook her head to try to clear it and noticed that Inuyasha was also looking down.

"You feel it too, don't you?" the demon exterminator whispered, staring at him.  "Then it's not just me…"

"It feels like demon energy," her companion replied, not removing his gaze from that unseen spot down on the ground.  "Yes…definitely…and no weakling, either.  And…" Inuyasha flexed his claws, "…where there's a demon, there may be a shard!"  

"Better not to go rushing down there right away," Sango cautioned.  "What do we know about it?  And what's that force tugging us down there?"

"Scared?" the hanyô shot at her.

He'd hit a nerve.  Crimsoning angrily, Sango stammered out, "Scared?  Scared?  You—y-you dare accuse me of being a coward?!  I—am—not—afraid.  Not of any demon!  All I'm saying is that I don't want to risk _my_ life for _your _foolish bravado!"

"Whatever," he shot back, not even bothering to look at her.  "Call it what you want to—but I'm going down.  If there are Shikon shards, they're mine!"

The taijiya glared at him.  "You thickskulled…" she started, but the dog demon had already begun his descent into the forest.  Sango weighed her options, and then gave Kirara a nudge downwards.  She wasn't going to let all her training and honor be shot down by him.  Gritting her teeth, the demon exterminator followed the pull of that mysterious force and plunged into the sea of trees.

As soon as Sango touched down on the green turf of the forest, she was engulfed in the pure, unbroken silence of the huge trees.  Once again, she felt that unexplainable sense of foreboding.  This was different, completely different from the serene quiet of the forests around her village; those trees enveloped her in a warm, welcoming, living peace—this forest felt cold, dead, and totally wrong.  She shivered, wanting to be away from this place.  Jogging with Kirara at her heels, Sango moved forwards.

Inuyasha stood in a small clearing a few meters up ahead.  Clearing the thick foliage away, Sango stood by him, glad of anything warm and human—or at least half human—in this strange place.

"I think it's—" she began, and then stopped as Inuyasha rummaged about in a patch of small saplings.  "What are you doing?"

"I can feel something from here," the hanyô said, his voice slightly muffled by the rustling of leaves as he felt around the branches.  "This!"  Straightening, Inuyasha produced a small, flat white stone, inconspicuous but for the way it pulled her towards it—very much like the same force that had brought them down here.

"This isn't it, though," Sango stated, after walking up to Inuyasha to inspect the stone more closely.

"Yeah…that's what I think…" Inuyasha agreed, scanning the clearing as the demon exterminator touched the stone curiously.

Sango looked up.  "Maybe we shouldn't keep searching for that…thing.  I have this feeling…ah!"  Inuyasha whipped around to see what the girl was staring at, and his eyes narrowed.

A figure sat before them, casually leaning forward with one hand on his knee.  _'How…did he get there?' _Sango wondered suspiciously.  One second there had been nothing, and then _he_ had appeared, simply melted out of the leafy shadows of the trees.  Normal?  Definitely not.  If Inuyasha was correct in his assumption, Sango would have bet Hiraikotsu that _this_ was the demon.  Her muscles tensed, ready for action.

"Are you surprised?" the stranger spoke, smiling slightly.

"Surprised by you?" Inuyasha shot back.  "I heard you coming from a mile away."

_'What a liar,' _Sango thought to herself, rolling her eyes.  _'He was as surprised as I was…or more.'_

"How unfortunate," the newcomer replied, and then, with an edge of sarcasm in his voice, "I was _so _hoping to make a good entrance.  Perhaps I'll have to work on that a bit more, hm?"

Growling, the hanyô clenched his fists at his sides.  "Are you mocking me?"

"No…" the other smirked, leaning back a little to observe Inuyasha, "I've always heard that dog demons were never that strong in the brains category…"

"Why you…" Inuyasha barked out between clenched teeth, feeling his blood boil as his eyes began to redden.

"Inuyasha, wait…" Sango cautioned, still staring intently at the face of the figure before them.  "Don't let him get you into a fight you're not prepared for."

"What?!  Are you saying that bastard could beat—"

"So you speak," the orange-eyed arrival interrupted, ignoring Inuyasha as he glanced at the girl standing beside the hanyô.  _'What?'_  His eyes flashed.  _'That girl…is…!'_

"…A _human_?  Impossible," he hissed.  "A human…and a demon?"  Their visitor stood and walked a step closer, peering fixedly at the two.  He stared for a few seconds longer, and then a smirk lifted the corner of his mouth.  "It seems I have made a mistake…make that a half-breed."

"Who the hell are you, anyways?" snarled the hanyô, ignoring the stab to his heritage.

Crossing his arms over his chest, the stranger smirked at the obvious effect his previous comment had caused and answered the question.  "Who am I?  A mercenary, a yôkai…"

Sango's hands flew to the strap of her oversized boomerang.

"…a dabbler in the arcane arts, a seeker of shards…"

_'I knew it!' _Inuyasha thought to himself.  _'This weirdo's definitely got some Shikon shards.'_

"…but you can call me Viaresu."

Cracking his knuckles, Inuyasha let one fang slip out over his bottom lip as he retorted, "A fine name to die with."

Viaresu coolly fingered the sharp metal ornaments that hung from his necklace as he gazed at the hanyô.  "Hmmm…you seem quite confident, dog."

"That's cuz there's no question of _me_…" Inuyasha's claws flexed in and out, "…losing to an idiot like _you_."

"I'm afraid I disagree with you," the yôkai replied as his icy orange orbs of his eyes narrowed.  "We'll have to settle this dispute."

"Fine with me," Inuyasha smirked, gently rubbing his thumb across the sharp tips of his clawed fingers.  He ran a tongue over his fangs, relishing the prospect of a good fight with the arrogant demon.  _'I'll bring his damned superior attitude down a notch or two…'_

Also smiling, Viaresu closed both eyes and raised his right hand up, murmuring softly to himself.  The air around him grew dark and heavy, emitting a sharp odor of wood smoke.  As the demon spoke one last command, his upraised hand glowed and crackled dangerously with energy.  Black smoke hid his form for a split second before vanishing, leaving the demon wielding a sickle-bladed staff in his right hand.

"This is not good," Sango whispered.  "That's not a normal weapon, Inuyasha!  That thing looks like an alchemist's staff…he'll probably use magic when he fights."

"Shit…" her companion cursed, warily eying the staff.  Magic…there was no way to know what to expect here.  The bladed staff looked ordinary enough, but the demon exterminator knew more than he in these matters.  _'Well, it's too late to back out of this now.'_

Leaping forward, the hanyô made the first move, swiping at Viaresu's unprotected shoulder with one clawed hand.  The other yôkai brought his staff up surprisingly fast, blocking Inuyasha's blow.  The dog demon's talons scraped against the weapon's blade as he shoved it aside, intent on reaching the skin of the other's vulnerable throat and ribcage.

"Ah!" Inuyasha yelped, leaping backwards and away from his opponent, golden eyes widened in shock.  His left hand was still tingling from the brush with the alchemist's staff, and as he watched, thin ribbons of blue smoke curled away from the sharp blade.  _'I can't even touch it…!'_

"That enchantment certainly is effective," Viaresu remarked as Inuyasha stared at the staff.  "Who would have imagined that my employer was such a fine spell-weaver?" the yôkai contemplated aloud.

_'Employer…?!' _ Inuyasha growled in response and surveyed the yôkai carefully.  _'Who…'_

A/N:  BIERREZ-KUUUUUUUUUUNNN!!!  *Glomps said demon*  ^__________^  *Happyhappyjoyjoy*  Wow…this was fast!  ^^  I know my chappies are short, but I try to write them in the style of one of the manga scrolls.  If you look at a fight scroll, this is how it usually begins!  Blah blah blah blah, trade insults, state reason for fight, and THEN some shocking little tidbit and…cliffhanger!  ^^

PS: I spelled Bierrez's name "Viaresu" here cuz it's the UN-Tokyopop-mangled name, and cuz I didn't want to get sued by anyone.  Hopefully they wouldn't notice…*coffcoffcoff*  *shifty eyes*  .


	6. The Fang Revived

Notes:  *Dancing the bloopy dance*  BlahblahblahBLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-AAAAAAAAAH!  O.o  *turns music off and hides stereo*  ^^;;;  Heheh…you were watching?

Viaresu:  @_@  Mind…scarred!  I CAN'T TAKE ANY MORE OF THIS!  AHHHHHHHH!!!  *Attacks CD of bloopy song and kills it*

O_O  .  Right, Viaresu…we'll just take you to the nice mental institution now…uh-huh…

_Healing of the Heart_

By Sango-chan

Chapter 5

The Fang Revived

"An employer! "  Sango had been idly wondering whether or not to jump in and help Inuyasha in his fight, but now this sudden revelation brought her back to focus.  "Someone hired you to hunt us down?!"

"Do you imagine I have the time to track down fools like your little pet dog over there…" Viaresu waved a hand dismissively in Inuyasha's direction, "…and kill them all?  No, no, girl, I work for those who pay well, and the demon I'm currently working for has offered a very high price for his death…a _very_ high price indeed."  Smirking at the glowering hanyô, he added, "Of course, that does lead you to wonder who it is, doesn't it?"

"Curse you," Inuyasha spat out disgustedly, "You're nothing but a puppet, dancing to the commands of the highest bidder!"

Viaresu's eyes gained a blood red tint as his voice lowered dangerously.  "Am I?  Really now…" he fingered the glaive's smooth wooden haft, "I…prefer the term…mercenary!"  With those words, the yôkai ran forward, bringing his glaive down on a straight course towards the dog demon's chest.  Inuyasha barely managed to bring his arm up in time to block the blade.  There was a sizzling sound and the nauseous stench of burning flesh pervaded the clearing.  Inuyasha broke off, running back a little to gain momentum as he made another pass at Viaresu.  The yôkai dodged that one, and then stopped.  He smiled grimly, twirling his glaive with one hand, the tinge of fire fading from his eyes.  "That made me feel so much better…don't you agree, dog?"

"Shut up."  Looking down at the singed cut that ran down the length of his arm from shoulder to wrist, Inuyasha touched a forefinger to the edge of the scorched skin and cloth.  

"_Ah_…"  Wincing, the hanyô sucked on the burnt and peeling skin of his finger and watched as the wound on his arm discharged threads of blue smoke that matched the ones rising from Viaresu's glaive.  _'That cursed sorcerer and his enchantments again…'_

"What's the matter, Viaresu?" Inuyasha shouted angrily.  "Too afraid to face me in a fair fight?  Why don't you drop those cheating spells and magic and _fight _me, you coward!"

"Don't get him mad again, idiot!" Sango muttered under her breath.  "Look what happened last time!"  She was aware that Inuyasha had a good chance of getting killed in this fight, but she didn't think it was wise to step in…the battle had become a matter of pride, and neither of the males would appreciate her interference in their clash.

"No one calls me a coward and lives."  The fiery glow was back, and this time Viaresu's eyes were completely engulfed in the flaming color.  Sango watched with a kind of perverse fascination as they changed from a cool, translucent pale orange to smoldering fiery red.  The demon's very skin seemed to ripple with demonic power.  "No one."  Tossing his glaive down, the yôkai muttered a string of nonsensical words.  As Viaresu's voice gradually increased in volume, blue ribbons of smoke emanated from the glaive and the slash on Inuyasha's arm, gathering in his cupped hands.  A pale blue ball of magical energy grew there, rippling and crackling with power.  Sango shielded her eyes from the blinding glow, and Inuyasha was forced to watch through slitted, watering eyes.

Viaresu seemed to show no concern, however, staring directly into the shimmering ball of his own magic.  Lowering his voice to a hoarse whisper, the yôkai uttered a sentence.  Immediately the bright blue orb flashed from his grasp and flew into the white disk lying by Sango's hands, sinking into the flat stone to disappear completely.  It was all over in a split second.

Sango cautiously cracked an eye open, staring first at the innocuous stone and then at Viaresu.  His eyes flared even brighter than before, but the glaive on the grass in front of his was free of any and all magic.  The taijiya glanced back at the stone disk.  _'It's all in there!'_

Holding his now-normal glaive in both hands, Viaresu smiled ferally and pointed the blade's tip at Inuyasha.  "Happy, dog?  All my magic is in that stone.  Let's have your 'fair' fight now…that is, if you will grant me that privilege," he added mockingly.

_'Shit…' _Inuyasha thought, gritting his teeth as he scrutinized Viaresu's battle stance.  _'He means business now…but at least there'll be no surprises.'  _With that optimistic thought in mind, the hanyô leapt at Viaresu for a second time.  

_Ssssssscrack!_

"Ugh!"  Inuyasha's head snapped backwards from the hard blow to his jaw.  The blunt end of Viaresu's glaive sent him flying, his trip abruptly shortened by a tree limb.

"My…my god…" Sango whispered, staring at Viaresu who was already back in the ready pose.  _'He purposely used the wooden end of his glaive!  And…' _glancing back at Inuyasha, who lay at the tree's bottom, _'look at the damage he did!'_

"You're lucky I took it easy on you."  The yôkai's tone was casual, with an edge of cold humor, belying the demonic glint in his eyes.  Inuyasha struggled upwards, leaning heavily against the tree trunk for support.

"I won't do it again."  Balancing his glaive on two fingers, Viaresu paused before throwing the weapon, blade-first like a spear.  The sharp glaive headed straight for Inuyasha's unprotected chest.

_'Damn…I can't move fast enough…messed something up in that fall… '  _The hanyô though wildly as he vainly scrambled for any way out of the path of the weapon.

"Hiraikotsu!"

Sango's huge boomerang whipped through the air, knocking the glaive away from its intended target.  Viaresu jumped to the side, catching his glaive.  He glared at the girl.  "You dare to interfere?"

The demon exterminator also seized her weapon again, crouching in a fighting position.  Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Inuyasha get up.  He appeared to be doing better now, but the hanyô was obviously not ready for another battle.  _'Ok…my turn, then.'_

"That's right, demon," Sango replied, her voice sounding much more confident than she really felt.  "I'm going to take you down."

"You…" Viaresu stared at Sango, lowering his weapon.  "Heheh…hahahahaha!"  Doubling over in laughter, the yôkai let his glaive drop as he let out loud peals of merriment. 

"What's so funny?" the taijiya demanded, bewildered by the demon's sudden jovial manner.

"Heh…heh…"  Grasping his glaive again, Viaresu leaned on it for support as he calmed down.  "You…a human girl?  Defeat me?  Ha!"

Sango clenched her fists to control her anger as she glared daggers at the demon.  "So you think I'm not good enough for you to fight?" she spat out.  "I can assure you, I'm not an opponent to be underestimated!"

"…"  Straightening up, the yôkai's expression hardened as his unreadable gaze focused on the human in front of him.  "…Move."

"No," Sango shot back, "I've never run from a battle before and this won't be my first time."

"I have no wish to kill you, girl.  You were not mentioned.  But if you get in my way…you will die," Viaresu said coolly, picking his weapon up again.  

_'Well…it looks like I'll be dying a long time before I'd thought… and dying from something other than Naraku,' _Sango thought ruefully as she held her stance.  _'Funny…that's how I always thought I'd go.  Well…' _ Shifting her sash slightly so that her sword was more easily accessible, the demon exterminator allowed herself a few last moments of contemplation.  _'And to think that I'm doing it for him…'_

"So.  Throwing away your life for a weakling half-breed like him."  Viaresu jerked his head in Inuyasha's direction.  "You do realize that he'll die after you?"

"No, he won't," Sango replied between gritted teeth.  "Because…"  Hiraikotsu was suddenly a pale blur as it sped toward the yôkai.  "…you'll die first!"

Surprised, Viaresu still managed to dodge—but not quite fast enough.  Hiraikotsu clipped his weapon as it whizzed past, knocking it from the demon's hands.  Sango quickly drew her sword and raced forward, intent on using her small advantage to the fullest.  Her opponent executed a quick roll to the side, grabbing his glaive.

_Damn…he's too fast!_  Sango circled the yôkai warily, keeping her distance now that he was armed again.

"Still don't want to run?" he taunted, smiling easily as if they were engaged in casual conversation instead of a duel.  "I promise, I'll even give you a head start of…oh, I don't know, how long do you think it will take to kill the dog boy?"

Her gorge rose at the insult to her abilities, only to be replaced a moment later by a blinding flash of clarity.  Sango felt marvelously clear-headed at once.  _This _was what years of training and hard work with her father and the elders had prepared her for.  She wasn't going to give this yôkai an easy fight.

The taijiya lunged forward, and her sword met Viaresu's glaive blade with a clash of steel.  She drew back a pace, then feinted right.  The yôkai moved to block her in that direction, and she changed direction to clip his shoulder, drawing blood.

"You…"

Sango blocked as the yôkai pressed his blade against hers, bearing down harder.  There was a faint popping noise, and her sword blade exploded in her hands, leaving the exterminator with a sharp-edged stump in her hands.

"Oni tusk," Viaresu said, and lifted the glaive for the death blow.  "The yôkai I took it from claimed it cut through bone as easily as air."

"CLAWS OF BLOOD!!"

Viaresu drew back as the bloodied wind blades swiped by his face, grazing one cheek slightly.  He sighed in exasperation.  "This little tag team of yours is becoming dull."

Sango stared, wide-eyed.  "Y-you…"

"Just repaying the debt, girl," Inuyasha snarled, glaring at Viaresu.  "You saved my life, I saved yours.  Don't expect more favors in the future.  And stay out of my business from now on.  This bastard is _mine_."

"Some thanks…" Sango muttered, reaching for Hiraikotsu.

"I mean it!"  The hanyô looked directly at her this time.  "_Stay out of my fight_."

"How valiant."  Viaresu brought his glaive down in a sweeping arc, forcing Inuyasha against a tree to avoid it.  "Perhaps I'll even let her live."  The dog demon started to speak, but was reduced to a coughing fit instead.

_'The fool, he's still not healed yet', _Sango thought desperately.  Then something clicked.

"Inuyasha!!  Use the Tetsusaiga!"

"What?!"  Inuyasha swung his head around, fixing her with a disbelieving stare.  "You think it'll work…for _you_??"

"Listen to me!  Just do it!"

"Worth a shot, I guess…" he mumbled, and pulled the Fang out of its sheath.  It glittered dully, unmoving, unchanging.

"Good," the taijiya breathed.  "He listened."  And with that, she dropped her weapons and planted herself in front of Viaresu.

"What are you—"

"Are you so dense?" Viaresu murmured.  "Well, enough of fooling around.  Die."

Faster than the eye could follow, the glaive was knocked away for a fifth time as the Tetsusaiga whipped upward.  Viaresu reached for it, his eyes narrowed.

_'It worked!' _Inuyasha thought.  _'Hn…I'd forgotten about her shards.  But as long as she has them and I want them…I can use the Tetsusaiga.'_

"Bastard," he growled, a ferocious smirk on his lips.  "You're going down."

A/N:  I swear, I shock myself sometimes…*mumbles*


End file.
